Everyone has different reasons and motivations behind living a healthy life filled with the correct nutrition and fitness. For many it’s because they want to look good, for others it’s because they want to feel good, but how many think about living a healthy life now to enhance their quality of life in their later years?

Personally, I chose to live a healthier life after members of my family became ill. I was essentially shocked into changing my lifestyle for the better.

Although many don’t like to think about, growing old these days isn’t as much as a worry thanks to advances in science, medicine and technology; there is a lot to ease the struggle age can bring to some. However, there are a number of changes we can make to our lifestyles to help improve the quality of our lives. There’s a few little tips that I like to follow below –

– Sit Less – Many adults spend more than seven hours a day sitting! Studies show that excessive sitting can lead to being overweight, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and premature death. So make sure you get up and about while in the office. Every hour go for a little wander; go make a brew, go to the toilet, go chat to your colleague, or just stand up while on the phone!

– Eat More Seeds – There’s been a big concentration on eating plenty of protein and vegetables in national health campaigns. However there isn’t a big push to eat your healthy fats! Nuts and seeds are packed full of vitamins, minerals and fats all which work together to affect your heart, brain and waistline. One serving a day can diminish inflammation and provides satisfying fibre, protein and immune-boosting minerals.

– Juice for Health – We all know that we should be getting at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. However sometimes this can be difficult which is why I swear by juices and smoothies – it’s a great way to sneak extra portions in!

– Sweat More – Daily exercise could be the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth! Regular exercise has countless effects on your heart, mind and metabolism. Even if it’s just a quick walk around the block – it’s better than sitting still!

– Love Yoga – Yoga is fantastic for the body and mind. Taking just ten minutes to stretch a couple times a week is definitely work it. Improving your flexibility, building muscle and perfecting your posture are great ways to increase your quality of life as you age.

– Drink Less – Alcohol isn’t exactly filled with health benefits! Although there are many studies that show drinking a couple of units of red wine can benefit the heart, for me the only health benefit to drinking would be the social aspect. Sitting around with friends having a good catch up is great for the soul. Going out multiple times a week getting paralytic drunk isn’t good for the heart, self esteem, bank balance or waist line!

– Do What You Love – Every day take some time to yourself. Make sure there is a little bit of enjoyment in each one of your days. Whether you love your job and see that as your enjoyment, love going to the gym, or enjoy a long soak in the bath. Taking some time to yourself is important!

I’ve always been an emotional eater. From as young as I can remember food has been either been a “treat” or “healthy”. I’m one of those people who goes out for dinner and drinks when I have a great day, or sits on the couch with a bag of crisps and bar of chocolate when I’m having a rubbish day. Because of my emotional attachment to food I always try to live by the 80/20 rule. However sometimes that 20% becomes more like 30% or even 40% – which isn’t healthy!

Just After my Yoga Class when i was collecting my yoga towel i heard somebody talking about the Whole 30 Program and as a lover of fitness and health I did a little research into it. It turns out that Whole 30 is a strict Paleo style eating program that lasts for 30 days. Whole 30 is designed to reset your body back to it’s healthy functional way. I decided to download the book and read up on the benefits of Whole 30. There was a whole chapter about emotional eating and the endless cycle that your body gets tricked into as a result and it described my eating habits perfectly. As a result I decided that I would start Whole 30 as soon as possible.

EAT REAL FOOD! Eat meat, seafood, bundles of vegetables, a little fruit and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds!

So what should you not eat? No sugar. No alcohol. No grains. No legumes. No dairy. And do not try to re-create baked goods, junk foods or treats with “approved” ingredients.

I took fruit for breakfast, then made a big salad of spinach, peppers, carrots, cucumber, chia seeds and guacamole. I chopped up all the veg for the week and kept it in a Tupperware at home so in the morning I just throw all the different ingredients together to make my salad.

Today we are planning ahead, with some Autumn detox suggestions. We are looking at ways to detox to compliment your yoga routine.

Between the pulsations of warm and cold weather, spring and fall create natural transitions. As the weather changes, Ayurveda describes that our cells go into a transition phase. This force of movement, named Vata or the wind force, becomes more active. This can be a good thing…. or a bad thing.

It’s a good thing if you take advantage of this transition to move out the accumulated energy from the last season. For example, in autumn we have the opportunity to move out accumulated heat from summer. We can do that through an Autumn Detox.

fall detox

The transition to autumn can be a bad thing if all that Vata wind energy simply drives the summer’s accumulated heat energy deeper into your cells – it would be like sticking yourself in a dehydrator before heading into winter. You don’t want to do that.

The purpose of an Autumn Detox is to take advantage of that natural transition time in your body, where the wind force can help you create the change you desire on a cellular level.

In an Autumn Detox you can:

Clear out excessive heat
Remove any toxins or waste in your cells
Balance your weight before the heavy energy of winter settles in
Lubricate your channels and cells to boost your immune system
Build the foundation for a healthy winter
Here are three simple tips for an easy Autumn Detox:

Tip #1: Keep it simple.

An autumn detox is different than a spring detox. In the spring, we’re releasing the heavy energies from winter. In autumn, we’re releasing the heat of summer and lubricating the channels to prepare for winter. Your spring detox, if you do one, can be more in depth than your autumn detox. In Autumn, a simple detox might be eating just apples for a few days. Honestly, that will do the trick. The pectin in apples is sticky and lubricating, while simultaneously being a soft bulking detox agent for your colon. This is pretty amazing as far as your colon is concerned. Apples are also sweet and astringent, both tastes which clear the excess heat of summer. If raw apples make you bloat, stew them with a pinch of cloves and cinnamon.

Other simple menus for an autumn detox include green smoothies and living soups for up to a week, heavy on the apples. Some people may opt for a juice fast, but that might be too depleting for those who struggle to keep weight on. Those folks might choose a more nutritive diet of the traditional Ayurvedic cleansing food kitchari. You can grab my recipes for this in the free detox recipe guide.

fall detox

Tip #2: Include oil.

This tip is familiar to those who’ve been exposed to Ayurveda, the healing science that co-evolved with yoga. This tip is absolutely foreign to Ayurvedic newbies. The theory is simple: toxins, including the heat toxins from summer, are oil soluble. This means toxins become dislodged when lubricated via oil. Oil can be part of your detox in a number of ways:

Give yourself a massage with oil every day during your detox. This lubes you, relaxes you, and helps your lymph (which holds the integrity of your immune system) move what it doesn’t want towards the exit doors.

Rub a few drops of sesame oil (not the toasted variety) in your ears. It’ll help prevent all colds and flus related to your head in winter. This is easy… but has massive results. When the cervical lymph system dries out viruses and bacteria can have a heyday. Keep it lubed and the viruses and bacteria can’t set up shop.
If you’re brave and experienced, do internal oleation therapy and oil enemas under the supervision of an Ayurvedic practitioner. This is only simple, if you’re supervised.

Tip #3: Do it with a friend.

I’m a huge advocate of the buddy system. The biggest reason the buddy system rates in my top 3 tips is accountability. Have you ever said to yourself, “I really need to change what I eat,” but found yourself eating the same the following week? I have. But when I have a buddy, and I require that buddy to hold me accountable to my highest intentions come hell or high water, it’s easier to realize my highest intentions.

If you don’t have any friends up for a detox, join a course that’s local or online. It’s a zillion times easier with a buddy. Many of us don’t have the support for our health evolution at home. That is okay – but stop looking for support where you can’t find it. Find someone, probably at your local yoga studio, who is just as interested, if not even more interested than you, in their health evolution. Ask them what Autumn Detox they are doing. Tell them you want to do it too. If you don’t know where to start, grab my free Yogidetox Guide. Once you have your detox buddy, follow these parameters:

Define your highest intentions for detox, within reason.
Lay out an action plan that will effectively allow you to reach your intentions. Recruit help with the action plan from experienced detox practitioners, if needed. Make sure you know your buddy’s plan.

Check in daily for 5 minutes each, or 10 minutes total. Look for ways to support, reinforce and remind your buddy of their highest intentions and their action plan.
Be totally entertained by the process – stay accountable, but have fun with it. Don’t become a detox-crazy, become a detox Lover.
And that is it! Just 3 tips. Keep it simple. Oil up. Do it with a friend!

Disclaimer

We always recommend seeking Health advice from a medical professional before starting a detox or following any advice given on detoxs.

Yoga is a truly fantastic form of exercise to do for improving your health and fitness, but exactly what are those benefits? We take a look at the main ones below and provide details on exactly why yoga is so good for you…

1. Lowers stress and improves your mood
Yoga uses specific meditation techniques, which focus the mind on your breathing to quieten the constant ‘mind chatter’, which relieves stress and allows you to naturally feel more relaxed.

Practising these breathing techniques can boost oxygen levels to the brain, leaving you feeling happier and more content.

2. Lowers the risk of injury
Exercise such as running is usually a series of rapid, forceful movements, which means that effort is at a maximum and there is a higher risk of injury and increased muscle tension. Often, strenuous exercise also engages an imbalance of opposing muscle groups, whereas yoga is different as it concentrates on balancing this activity and placing minimal stress and pressure on the joints of the body.

3. Increases flexibility
People often mistakenly believe that they are not flexible enough to do yoga. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how tight your muscles are as yoga works by safely stretching your muscles and helps you to progressively become more flexible over time in a safe way. Moreover, yoga also stretches other soft tissue in the body such as ligaments and tendons, increasing the range of motion in the joints and allowing you to move around more freely.

4. Improves muscle tone and strength
Many yoga movements have a profound effect on your upper body strength, such as the downward and upward dog, whilst the plank focuses on your core. Likewise, standing poses strengthen your upper leg muscles and lower back. Essentially any pose will strengthen an area of the body if it is practised in the right way, without putting too much stress on specific muscle groups. In this way, yoga is great for increasing your muscle tone and strength.

5. Improves your posture
By practising yoga you maintain a healthier weight, become more flexible and improve your muscle tone and strength. You will find that your posture will greatly improve because of this. Your abdominals and back muscles can now fully support your weight and you will be able to sit and stand tall, preventing niggling injuries, aches and pains.